Heating device



Nov. 22: 1932.

R. D. MADISON HEATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 29, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet lRICHARD D. MADISON Nov. 22, 1932. R. D. MADISON HEATING DEVICE FiledSept. 29. 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet Izvv-70lf RICHARD Dv MADISON 7 Tran-NE)NOV. 22, 1932. R; MADISON 1,888,730

HEATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 29. 1930 :5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INA/ENTER RICHARDLIMADlSoN Patented a... 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD D.MADISON, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BUFFALO COMPANY, OF BUFFALO,NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK HEATING DEVICE Application filedSeptember 29, 1930. Serial No. 485,028.

My invention relates in general to heating devices, and in particular,to that type of device which is used in factories, in whlch air isforced by means of a fan through the heating elements of the device.

The principal object of my invention has been to provide a device ofthis nature in which the regulating devices shall be actuated by thetorque of the air stream coming from the fan wheel.

Another object has been to provide a device in which there shall be abetter spread and diffusion of the air to the corners of the heatingmeans, as well as an even distribution at the center. 8

Another object has been to provide a device having means for removingthe residual rotation in the blast of air coming from the fan wheel.

2 Another object has been to provide a burner having automatic means forlimiting the supply of air to the burner until the burner has reachedits normal working temperature.

Moreover, in my device it has been an object to heat the device by meansof gas and to control the supply of both gas and air.

Furthermore, the secondary air used in the gas burners is under thepressure exerted by the fan and is, therefore, controllable and permitsthe highest possible velocity in the tubes.

Furthermore, it has been an object to pro vide a heater having suitableautomatic controls, whereby if thedevice fails to function poperly, thegas and electricity will be shut o The above objects, and advantageshave been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings,of which:

Fig. 1 is a face view of my device withportions thereof broken away forclearness of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional, elevation ,take" on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the gas valve used in my device.

Figs. l and 5 are, respectively, enlarged fragmentary front and sideelevations of means for controlling the amount of air supthe casing ofmy device.

plied to the burner until the burner has reached its normal workingtemperature.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front view, showing the automaticmeans for shutting off the fan motor in the event the pilot light isextinguished.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, plan view of the device shown in Fig. 6. c

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatical View showing the electrical connection of mydevice.

My device comprises a casing 10, having an upper tube plate 11 and alower tube plate 12. These tube plates carry a plurality of heater tubes13 which extend vertically through the casing, the outside surfaces ofthe tubes only v being exposed to the air being heated. Obviously, mydevice maybe supported in any desirable manner, but I prefer to hang itfrom straps 17 secured to the casing 10. Ar-

ranged in the front wall-14 of the casing 10 is an inlet air opening 15which is formed preferably by an inturned flange 16. The fan wheel20 ofmy device is arranged in this inlet opening. This fan wheel is of anysuitable type forpicking up the air and forcing it into The wheel iscarried by an electric motor 21 which is suitably supported at the'frontof the machine by means of supporting arms 22 carried b an annular ring23 arranged on the face 0 the casing and concentric with the inletopening. 15 thereof. a

In the back wall 25 of the casing is formed an outlet opening 26. Thewall around the opening is preferably bent outwardly in the form offlanges 27 Suitable louvers 28 are provided for controlling the amount.of air coming from the outlet opening 26. These louvers may bepivotally carriedbythe flanges 27 and are actuated in any suitable way.The top wall-29 of the casing is formed with a collecting chamber 30into which the gases are collected and from which they are conductedaway by suitable piping attached to an upstanding collar 31 whichsurrounds the stack opening 32.

The bottom wall 35 of the casing is formed 7 with an opening 39 overwhichis secured the combustion chamber 36 of my device. This chamber ismounted on suitable pivot pins 37 109 -chamber.

along its forward edge and is clamped up in position by means of asuitable clamp.38 at its rear side. By this arrangement the chamber maybe conveniently lowered for inspection of the burner parts or repairthereof.

Carried inside the front wall 14 of the casing, and resting on top ofthe bottom wall thereof is a channel member having'the forward edge ofits lower leg 41 preferably in line with the'opening 39 and with itsupper leg 42 slightly overhanging the opening.

Suitably mounted within the channel member 40 is the gas manifold 43 ofmy device.

This manifold is arranged slightly in front of the forward edge of thelower leg 41 of the channel member 40 and is provided with a pluralityof downwardly extending nozzles 44 which supply gas to the burner tubes45. Each burner tube 45 is provided with an upwardly extending bentportion 46 and with a forwardly extending portion 47. The tubes aremounted within the combustion chamber 36 by having their upper endsresting against a plate 48 and by having their lower ends secured to therear wall of the combustion In each of such lower ends is mounted a plug49 which has a reduced portion 50 for engagement with a suitable openingformedin the back wall. The upper ends of the bent portions 46 of theburner tubes are arranged in registration and spaced rela- 'tion withthe gas nozzles 44, whereby sufficient primary air will be drawninto-the tubes to support combustion. The forwardly extending portion 47of each of the tubes is provided with a plurality of openings which mabe in the form of slots 51.

" he manifold gas pipe 43 is provided with a forwardly extending feedpipe at the.

outer end of which is arranged the gas valve 56 of my device. This valvehas a suitable gas inlet 57 to which the main, supplying gas" to mydevice, is attached. By referring particularly to Fig. 3 it will be seenthat this valve comprises a valve seat 58 against which a valve disc 59bears. This valve disc is carried by a valve head 60 which is mountedupon a valve stem 61. This stem is slidably mounted in a bearing member62 which is preferably fastened to the body 63 of the valve by means ofa coupling nut 64. The

0 outward movement of the valve stem 61, and,

therefore, the amount of opening of the valve disc is limited by anadjusting screw 79,

i which is carried by the bearing member 62.

A helical spring 65 is mounted about the valve stem 61 and servesnormally to keep the valve disc 59 upon its seat. An expansible element66 is secured at one end to the valve head 60 and at the other end tothe bearing member- 'gages with a yoke 69 which, is pivotally carried bya pivot pin 70, passing through its lower end and supported by thebearing member 62. The upper end of this yoke is con:

nected to a control yoke 71 which carries a control rod 72. This rodextends inwardly through the annular flange 23 and front 14 of thecasing and is pivotally attached to the upper arm 7 3 of a control lever74. This control lever is pivotally carried by the upper leg 42 of thechannel member 40 and is attached thereto by means of a hinge member 75.The control lever 74 is provided with an lnwardly extending arm 76 towhich is pivotallyattached the lower end of a control rack 77. This rackhas formed in the-face of its upper end a series of gear teeth 80, and

the upper end of the rack is supported by means of a flanged roller 81(see Fig. 1).

This roller is carried by a suitable bracket 82 secured to two of thetubes 13. This bracket also carries. an actuator shaft -83which-ex tendsforwardly toward the. fan andwhich is preferably concentrically arrangedwith the shaft. Mounted upon this actuator shaft is the actuator 84 ofmy device. This actuator comprises a plurality of paddles 0r vanes 85having their faces arranged co-axially with the actuator shaft.'Thevanes are sufficiently broad so that the actuator will offer someresistance to the torque of the stream of air produced by the fan 20 andbe actuated by such torque. The actuator is provided with a hub 86 whichhas a pinion portion 87, which portion engages with the teeth 80 of theac tuating rack 77 so that as the actuator is ro- 'wardly of the forwardedge of the upper leg 42 of the channel member 40, whereby an airopening 91 is formed. Closing this opening is'an air shutter 92. Thisshutter is pivotally attached by means of hinge members 93to the forwardedge of the leg 42 of the channel member; whereby it may be raised orlowered to open or close the air opening 91. Car- Tied the central partof the shutter is an e ng arm 94 which has a roller plate 95" arrangedin-front thereof and adi istable as to its relation thereto by means ofan adj 11stmg screw 96, carried bv the arm. The forwardly extending arm76 of the control leverv 74 15 provided with a roller 97 which is inengagement with the face of the roller plate 95. The pivotal connectionof the control lever 74 is so arranged with respect to the pivotalconnection 93 of the air shutter 92 that when the control rack 77 iselevated, the

roller 97 will cause the air shutter to be raised, thus increasing theopening 91, an amount depending upon the amount of actuation of thecontrol rack. Since the gas valve is also connected to the control lever74, it will also be operated a corresponding amount.

Arranged across the combglstion chamber 1s a longitudinal wall 100 whichis arrangedbelow the forward portion of the lower tube plate 12, and incontact therewith. Secured to this wall is the upper wall 101 of anequal,- izer plate 102. The upwardly inclined porti on 103 of this plateis provided with suitable openings 104, graduated in size, so thatsecondary air which is supplied to the burner tubes 45 will bedistributed substantially equally over the entire length ofthe tubes.Provided in the upper wall 101 of this equalizer plate is an opening 106to which the-forward end of the pilot light 107 extends. This pilotlight is supported by the front wall-of the combustion chamber 36 andpasses through an opening formed therein where it is held by means of aset screw 108. Carried by the front wall of the combustion chamber is apilot light member 109 having a vertical gas passageway 110 formedtherein which supplies gas to the pilot light 107. A needle valve 111passes through the gas supply opening formed in the member. opposite thepilot light and provides means for adjusting the amount of gas suppliedto the pilot light."

This member is connected to the casing 63 of the valve by means of thepipe 112 so that it will get full gas main pressure irrespective of theregulation of the valve. The pipe is bent substantially u-shaped asshown in Rig. 1 and its lower end is connected, to the pilot lightmember 109 at such a position and in such a manner that the combustionchamber 39 may be swung on its pivot pins 37, as-hereinbefore pointedout, without the necessity of disconnecting this pipe. A lighter opening98 is formed in the bottom wall of the combustion chamber, whereby thepilot light 107 may be ignited. A door 99 is pivoted to the inside ofthe chamber for closi g the lighter opening.

A bi-metal element 115 is arranged on "the forward side of thelongitudinal wall 100 of the combustion chamber, and near the lower edgethereof at a point where it would be affected by the heat from the pilotlight 107. Pivotally carried by the longitudinal wall is a liellecraiiklever 116, the lower end 117 of which bears normally against thebi-metal element 115, while its upper end 118 extends upwardly and bearsagainst a plate 119 formed at the outer end of a crank lever 120'. Thiscrank lever has a shaft portion '121 mounted in suitable bearingsandpassing through the front wall 14 of the casing 10 and the verticalmember of the channel member 40. A spring 122 is mounted about the shaftportion 121 of the crank lever and the end 123 of this spring is wrappedabout the outer end 120 of the crank lever, whereas its inner end 124bears against the lower leg 41 of the channel member 40 whereby thepad'119 is forced downwardly in-contact with the upper end 118 of thebellcrank lever 116. Carried at the forward end of the shaft portion12lof the crank lever is a switch arm 125. The switch arm is provided atits outer end with an adjusting screw 126 which engages-with a movableelement 127 provided in the motor switch 128. This motor switch issecured to the face of the forward wall 14 ofthe casing and is connectedby means of a conduit 129 with a terminal box 130, also carried on theface of the wall 14. Suitable wiring 131 con-' nects the motor 21-withthe terminal-box. The switch 128 is a standard article of manu-, factureand is not, therefore, shown or described in detail. The screw 126is-passed through an aperture formed in the bottom wall of the switch,whereby the movements of the screw will efl'ect the movement of theswitch element 127 to open or close this switch I depending upon theposition of the crank lever.

A fire screen 132'is arranged over the gas pipe 43 and extends from'thevertical wallof the channel member 40. rearwardly and downwardly. to theupstanding flange formed on the bottom tube plate 12, whereby a screenedwall isprovided between the opening extending from thecombustion'chamberto the opening 91 controlled by the air shut- I ter.This screen is preferably curve-shaped as shown in Fig. 2 and itsrearward ed e 'is supported by a number of brackets 133 carried by thepipe 43. I

I have found that lighted if the correct amount of secondary air isadmitted for the normal operation of the device, the mixture will be toolean and there will be a tendency for the flame to be blown away fromthe burner ports. Itis im ortant, therefore, that the amount o-fi seconary. air admitted to the combustion chamber be limit-. ed until time asthe burner has reached its normal working temperature. This isaccomplished by the detent means shown enlarged in Figs. 4 and 5.Carried by one of the vanes 85 of the actuator 84 is a detent plate 135which is engaged during the course of rotation-of the actuator by adetent -lever 136 which has a notch 137 formed in its upper edge forengagement with the detent plate 135. ..This detent lever 136 is pivotedat one side to a pivot pin 138 which is carried by a bracket 139,supported by the tubes 13 of the heater. Arranged at one side of thepivot pin 138 is another pivot pin 140 which is located substantiallybeneath the notch 137 of the detent lever, whereby movement of thepivotpin 140 in a vertical plane will cause the notch 137 to be engagedwith or disengaged from the detent plate 135. T be when the burner isfirst pivot pin 140 connects the upper bifurcated end 141 of a detentrod 142 to the detent lever.

though this is not at all essential to its operation. Below the roomthermostat is a room switch 146.v The linecurrent is conducted to theterminal box 130 by means of leads 147 and 148. The lead 148 isconnected to one side of the motor 21 by means of a lead 149, whereastheother side of the motor is conducted back to the terminal box by meansof alead 150. Extending from the lead 150 in the terminal box is a lead151 which extends to one side of the motor switch 128. A

lead 152 extending from the other side of the motor switch is conductedback to the terminal box and is there connected with a lead 153 which isconnected to the room switch 146. The room switch 146 and roomthermostat 145 are connected by means of a lead 154, and the other sideof the room thermostat is connected to the lead 147 in the terminal boxby means of lead 155. It will be seen, therefore,

- that the motor is connected in series with the motor switch 128; theroom switch 146; and the room thermostat 145.

When my device is put into use, current is conducted to the motor 121which causes the rotation of the fan wheel 20. If the room switch andthermostat are used, then the motor switch 128 is normally in its onposition, and the motor is then started by closing the room switch.

A current of air will now be produced by the fan and forced through thecasing of the device and out through the outlet opening 26, when thelouvers 28 are open. There will be a natural tendency for the stream ofair to' rotate in the same direction as the rotation of the fan wheeland this tendency will produce a torque upon the actuator 84 causing itto rotate. Since, however, the detent plate 135 is so located that onlya limited movement of the actuator is permitted, the actuator will bestopped when the detent plate reaches the notch 137 of the detent lever136. During such limited movement of theactuator the pinion carried byits hub will cause a limited vertical movement of the control rack 77and will, therefore, raise the outer end 76 of the control 74 a distancecorresponding to the limited movement. The pivotal points of the roller97 and hinge 7 of the control lever are, however, so located that tionchamber.

some movement of the arm.76 will be permitted before the'roller actsupon the roller plate 95, whereby the gas valve will be opened a limitedamount and permit gas to enter the burner tubes where combustion willoccur, primary air being drawn into the tubes in the well known manner.When the temperature of the combustion chamber 36 reaches its normalworking range, the bimetal element 144 will raise the, detent rod 142and serve to rotate the detent lever 136 about its pivot 138, therebymoving the notch 137 thereof out of engagement with the detent plate135. The torque produced by the stream of air will now be unrestrictedin its action upon the actuator and will cause the actuator to berotated'its maximum amount. As the actuator is brought to its limit ofmovement, the control rack 77 will raise the end .6 of the control leverto its maximum and the roller 97 thereof willserve through .open the airshutter 92, thus increasing the size of the opening 91 and admitting amaximum amount of secondary air to the combus- Such movement will alsoopen the valve to its maximum adjusted position. If for any reason theheater is shut off and the motor stopped, and it is desired to promptlystart it again, the actuator will again be moved to its maximum positionsince the bi-metal element 144 will hold thedetent lever 136 out ofcontact with the detent plate 135 so long as the temperature of thecombustion chamber does not fall below the normal working range.

The pilot light is, of course, used when the device is normally inoperation, but,.of course, has its greatest usefulness when the deviceis under thermostatic control. therefore, of utmost importance that themotor, and therefore, the actuator, be prevented from being brought intooperation in the event the pilot light has been extinguished. So long asthe pilot light is burning, the bi- .metal element 115 will permit themotor switch 128 to remain in its on position. When, however, the pilotlight is extinguished, this bi-metaliel'ement will cool off and it willallow the bellcrank lever 116 to move downwardly as the crank mm 120 isrotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6, by meansof the spring 122. lVhen the crank lever is so rotated, the switch arm125 is moved upwardly and, through the medium of the screw 26 serves toforce the motor switch 128 to its 011' position, thus cutting off theflow of current through the motor,since this switch is in series withthe other controllingdevices, When the combustion chamber 36 is loweredfor inspection or repairs, the bellcrank lever 116 is carried downwardlyaround the pivot points of the chamber and, therefore, the spring 122serves to rotate the crank lever 120, as just above It is,

described, and thereby interrupts the motor circuit through the switch128. This prevents the premature starting of the motor and dangerousflow of gas.' Moreover, should the device he started with the louvers 28closed, there would be no stream of air and therefore the actuator wouldnot be operated.

These and other modifications of the details herein shown and describedmay be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the appended claims, and I do not, therefore, wish to belimited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described, the formshown being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: y j

1. A heater comprising heating means, a source of heat for the heatingmeans, a rotary fan for forcing air over said heating means and forcreating a whirling stream of airon its pressure side, and means locatedon the pressure side of the fan and adjacent thereto for controlling thesource of heat by means of the whirling action of the stream of air.

2. A heater comprising suitable air heating surfaces, a source of heatfor raising the temperature .of said surfaces, a rotary fan for forcinga stream of air over such surfaces and for creating a whirling stream ofair on its pressure side, an actuator located on the pressure side ofthe fan and adjacent thereto and rotatable by the torqueproduced'by thewhirling stream of air, and means connected with the actuator forcontrolling the source of heat.

3. A heater comprising suitable air heating surfaces, a source of heatfor. raising the temperature of said surfaces, a rotary fan for forcinga streamof air over such surfaces and for creating a whirling stream ofair on its pressure side, an actuator located on the pressure side ofthe fan and adjacent thereto and rotatable by the torque produced by thewhirling stream of air, means connected with the actuator forcontrolling the source of heat, and means for limitingthe movement'ofthe actuator until the source of heat has reached its maximum workingtemperature.

4. A heater comprising a casing, heating surfaces carried by andextending'through the casing, a combustion chamber arranged below theheating surfaces, a gasburner arranged in the combustion chamber, arotary fan carried by the casing for causing a stream of air to beforced over the heated surfaces and for creating a whirling stream ofair on its pressure side, an actuator located on the pressure side ofthe fan and adjacent thereto and rotatable by the torque produced by thewhirling stream of air, and means connecting the gas burner with theactuator, whereby gas and air will be supplied to the burner when thefan is operated.

5. A heater comprising a casing, heating surfaces carried by andextending through the casing, a combustion chamber arranged below theheating surfaces, a gas burner arranged in the combustion chamber, arotary fan carried by the casing for causing a stream of air to beforced over the heated surfaces and for creating a whirling stream ofair on its pressure side, an actuator located on the pressure side ofthe fan and adjacent thereto and rotatable by the torque produced by thestream, means connecting the gas burner with the actuator, whereby gasand air will be supplied to the burner when the fan is operated, andmeans for limiting the movement of the actuator until the combustionchamber has reached its normal working temperature.

6. A heater comprising a'casing, heating surfaces'carried by andextending through the casing, a combustion chamber arranged belowtheheating surfaces, a gas burner arranged in the combustion chamber, arotary fan carried by the casing forcausing a stream of air to be forcedover the heated surfaces I and for creating a whirling stream of air onits pressure side, a motor for rotating the fan, a'pilot light for thegas burner, means for supplying gas to the pilot light,'a'nd meanscontrolled y the temperature of the pilot flight for governing theoperat on of the motor, whereby when the pilot light is extinguished thefan will be prevented from rotating, and means located on the pressureside of the fan and adjacent thereto for controlling the supply of gasand air to the burner.

7. A heater comprising a casing, heating surfaces carried by andextending through the casing, a. combustion chamber arranged belowtheheating surfaces, a gas burner arranged in the combustion chamber, a gasvalve for controllingthe supply of gas to the burner, an air. shuttercontrolling the supply of air to theburner, a rotary fan for producing astream of air thfough the casing and over the heating surfaces and forcreating a whirling stream of air on its pressure side, an actuatorlocated on the pressure side of the fan and adjacent thereto androtatable by the-torque of the stream, and means connected with the gasvalve and air shutter and operated by the rotation of the actuator. 8. Aheater comprising a casing, heating surfaces carried by and extendingthrough the casing, a rotary fan for causing a stream of air to beforced over the heating surfaces and for creating a whirling stream ofair on its pressureside, an actuator located on the pressure side of thefan and adjacent thereto and rotatable by the torque of the whirlingstream of air, a combustion chamber. arranged below the casing, agasburner for the combustion chamber comprising a plurality of burner tubeslocated Within the combustion chamber, a gas manifold" arranged adjacentthe inlet ends of'thc burner tubes, agas nozzle carried by the manifoldfor each of the tubes, a gas valve for supply ing gas to the manifold,an air shutter for supplying air to the tubes, and means connecting thegas valve and air shutter'to the. actuator, whereby the.amount of gasand air supplied to the burner is controlled by the rotation of theactuator.

9. A heater comprising a casing, heating surfaces carried by andextending through the casing, a rotary fan for causing a stream of airto be forced over the heating surfaces and for creating a whirlingstream of air on life pressure side, an actuator located on the pressureside of the fan and adiacent thereto and rotatable by the torque of thewhirling stream of air, a combustion chamber arranged below the casing',a gas burner for the combustion chamber comprising a plurality of burnertubes located within thecombustion chamber, a gas manifold arrangedadjacent the inlet ends of the burner tubes, openings formed in theupper faces of the tubes, a partition formed in the combustion chamberand located between the portion of the tubes having the openings andtheir inlet ends, an equalizer plate carried by the partition andextending across the bottom of the tubes, a gas nozzle carried by themanifold for each of the tubes, a gas valve for supplying gas to themanifold, an air shutter for supplying air to-the tubes, and means con,-necting the gas valve and air shutter to the actuator, whereby theamount of gas and air supplied to the burner is controlled by therotation of the actuator.

10. A heater comprising a casing, tubes carried by the casing andextending central 1y therethrough, a rotary fan carried by the casingfor forcing a stream of air through the casing and around the tubes andfor creating a whirling stream of air on its pressure-side, an actuatorlocated on the pressure pressure side, an electric motor for rotatingthe fan, a switch for themotor, a pilot light for the gas burner, meansfor supplying gas to the pilot light, and means controlled by below thecasing, a gas burner for the combustion chamber, a rotary fan forforcing air through the casing and for creating 'a whirling stream ofair on its pressure side, an actuator-located adjacent the pressure sideof the fan and rotatable by the torque produced by the whirling streamof air, a gas valve forsupplyinggas to the burner, an air shutter forcontrolling the supply of air to the burner, means connecting the gasvalve "and the air shutter to the actuator, and means for limiting themovement of the actuator during the initial operation of the burner,comprising a bi-metal element carried by the casing and controlled bythe temperature within the combustion chamber, a detent rod actuated bythe bi-metal element, a detent lever connected to the upper end of thedetent rod, and a detent carried by the actu ator and engageablewith-the detent lever,

whereby the actuator will be permitted to rotate only a limited amountuntil the temperature of the combustion chamber is raised toits normalworking range.

RICHARD 1). MADISON.

side of the fan and adjacent thereto and rotatable by the torqueproduced by such whirling stream of air, a combustion cham-' berarranged below the tubes, a gas burner located in .the combustionchamber, -a gas valve for supplying gas to the burner, and a controllever carried by the casing and connected to the gas valve and airshutter, a control'rack connected to the control lever, and operated bya' gear pinion carried by the actuator.

11 Alheater comprising a casing, heating surfaces carried by andextending through the casing, a combustion chamber arranged below theheating surfaces, a gas burner arranged in the combustion chamber, arotary fan carried by the casing for causing a stream of, air to beforced over the heated surfaces, an actuator located on the pressureside of the fan and rotatable by the torque produced by the whirlingstream of air, means connecting the gas burner with the actuator, andfor creating a whirling stream of air on its Ill

